Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



I. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES APPLICATION FILEDIAN-6.19M.

4 $HEETS-SHEET I. J x) Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

Quorum J. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-6.1911.

1,280,961. Patented Oct. 8, I918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET ifO/lil/ 5. Claw/Q6 @II M J. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. I917.

1,280,961. Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

4 sIIEETs -sIIEEI 3.

abbounm fz J. S. CLARKE.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.6. I91

Patent-ed Oct. 8, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

lwuewtoa s Elia h I:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNS. CLARKE, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed January 6, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices forInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to manually operated starting devices forinternal-combustion engines, and more particularly to such engines asare employed for propelling automobiles and other motor vehicles.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficientmechanism whereby the engine may be started from the drivers seat, thusobviating the necessity ofthe driver getting out of the car to start thesame.

The invention also has for its object to provide a powerful startingmechanism of the kind stated, and one which is safe, provision beingmade for preventing injury to the operator or to the mechanism if theengine fires prematurely or kicks back.

A further object of the invention is to provide a starting mechanismwhich can be readily applied without any changes or modifications in thestructure of the car.

The objects stated are attained by means of a novel combination andarrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and inorder that the same may be better understood, reference is had to theaccompan ing drawings forming a part of this speci cation.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the application of the invention toa motor vehicle, a fragment only of the latter being shown dotted andpartly in section;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of certain drive gears, the housing inclosingsaid gears bein shown in section;

ig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section,

showing a drive gearing between the starting shaft and the engine shaft;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the gears shown in Fig. 2, with certain partsin section;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said mechanism, partly in section;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

Serial No. 140,937.

Fig. 7 is a detail in perspective;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the drive gearing between the startingshaft and the engine shaft of the modified structure, and

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a pawl-andratchet mechanism.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes the crank shaft ofthe engine. At the front end of the car, in axial alinement with thecrank shaft, is a starting shaft 11 provided with a crank handle 12 asusual. The adjacent ends of the shafts are provided with cooperatingmeans for coupling said shafts together, said means being engaged bypushing the shaft 11 forward until its ratchet 13 takes hold of the pin13 on the shaft 10. This is a conventional form of starting device,necessitating the driver leaving the car to start the engine, and inorder to eliminate this inconvenient starting method, the mechanismwhich will now be described has been devised. It will be understood thatthe crank handle 12 may be left off, and it need be employed only in theevent of the mechanism getting out of order, in view of which it will bedetachably connected to the shaft 11.

On the shaft 11 is loosely mounted a spur gear 14 which is in mesh witha gear 15 fixed on a shaft 16. On one side of the car 14 is anoutstanding annular flange 1? having a series of slots 18 runningobliquely to the axis of the shaft 11. Alongside the gear 14, the shaft11 carries a crown gear 19 which seats inside the flan 'e 17 and hasprojecting pins 20 on its perip hery extending into the slots 18 andprovided with friction rollers 21. The gear 19 is fast on the shaft 11.The slots 18 are inclined in such a direction that when the gear 14turns in the direction in which motion is to be given the shaft 10 tostart the engine, the shaft 11 is advanced to engage its ratchet 13 withthe pin 13 of the shaft 10, whereupon the shafts are coupled together,and as the gear 14 continues to turn, its motion is transmitted to thecrown gear 19 through the pin-and-slot connection, and the crown gearimparts motion to the shaft 11 and the latter turns the shaft 10 as thetwo shafts are now coupled together. 1V hen the engine starts, the shaft10- turns much faster than the shaft 11, whereupon the ratchet isautomatically disconnected, this action being aided byv a spring. 22tending to back the shaft 11. The gear 14 is held against longitudinalmovement on the shaft 11, it being located between the gear 19 and abearing 23 for said shaft 11.

If the engine should fire back, resulting: in the shaft 10 being given abackward impulse, the shaft 11 is automatically disconnected from theshaft 10 by the following mechanism V Opposite the teeth of the crowngear '19, and in mesh therewith are toothed dogs 24 pivoted. to theframe of the car and held in. mesh-by. springs 25. These dogs extendobliquely between the crown gear and the fixed support to which they arepivoted, and their inclination is such that they slip over the teeth ofthe crown gear when the latter is turning in the proper direction tostart the engine. However, when the engine fires. back and the shaft 11is thus given an impulse in a backward direction, the dogsbecome lockedto the crown gear and swing in a direction to extend in a straight linebetween the latter and the support to which they are pivoted, with theresult that the crowngear is pushed back, and as it is fixed on theshaft 11, said shaft backs away from the shaft 10 sothat the drivingconnection between the two shafts is b'roken. The spur gear 14 isoperatedmanually fromthe car by the following mechanism:

Beneath the floor'26 of the car, is mounted a suitable support27 towhich is journaled a shaft 28- having a flexible connection 29 Witharearwardly extending portion of the shaft 16. On the shaft 28 areloosely 'mounted two bevel gears 30 and 31, respectively, which-are inmesh 'with abevel gear 32. Adjacent to the bevel gear 30 a ratchet wheel33 is fixed on the shaft 27, and a ratchet wheel 34 is fixed onsaid-shaft adjacent to the bevel gear 31. The bevel gear 30 carries apivoted pawl 35 engaging the ratchet wheel 33, and the bevel gear 31 carries a "pivoted pawl 36 engaging the ratchet wheel 34.

The-bevel gear 32 is made fast tothe lower end ofthe shaft 37 extendingupward through the floor 26 of the car, and having at 'it's upper endtwo oppositely extendingcrank handle or lever arms 38. The shaft 37 isin-two pivotally connected sections, the

pivot39 being above the floor 26 and close thereto,so that-the upper endof the lever may be swungforward out of the way, as shown dotted'in Fig.1, when it is not'in'use. It will be understood that the parts will beso positioned-thatthe upper end of the'shaft 37-is within convenientreach o'f'the driver.

Upon oscillating the shaft 37, a continuous rotary motion in one"direction is imparted -to the shaft28, which motion istransmitted to thegear 14 through theshaft 16. This motion is obtained through the tweenthe bevel gears 30 and 31 and the shaft 28. V

The support 27 forthe drive gearing of the shaft 28 is mounted on thebottom of the car floor 26 entirely. out of the way, and the parts canbe readily applied without any change in the structure of the car. Thefor. ward endof the shaft 16 is journaled in a support 40 fastened tothe frame of the machine. This support may be in the form of a housinginclosingthe gears Hand-15.. Thesupport-Q)? may also be a housing toinclose' the 1 gears and ratchet devices whereby the shaft 28 is driven.The support '40'is formed with-a bearing'23 for the shaft 11.

Figs. 5 to 9' illustrate another embodiment of theinvention, the samebeing shown applied to the well known Ford car. The means wherebythe-motionofthestarting shaft 1 1 is-tra'nsm'itted to theengine shaft 10is the same as. that hereinbefore described, with the exception that asprocketand-chain gearing is substituted for the gears 14 and 15, asprocket wheel 41. being loose on the shaft 1 1 and connected by achain42 to a-sprocke't wheel 43 "on the shaft 16. This gearing isinclosed in a housing 44 provided with aibearing=45 forthe shaft 11,said housing being integral with the bearing, andth'e latter beingmoun'ted on; the cross member46 at'the'front end of the car frame. Thiscross member is'found on all Ford carsand'carriesa bearingiirwhich theshaft of the'starting crank is supported, and: in applying the inventionthis-bearing and the starting-crank will be removed, and the bearing 45,and the parts carried thereby,. substitutedtherefor. I I

The shaft 37 is notconnected directly -to the bevel gear*32, but isprovided with a'sector gear '47 which-is in'mesh with a pinion- 48'ona-shaft 49carrying theigear-3f2b It will also be noted in Fig.6 that theshaft 16-is in two 1 sections connected by a univ'en sal joint 50, andthe connection: with-the shaft 28 is also made by auniversal jointasshown at 51. I

The paWland-Tat'chet connection between the bevel gears-30 and '31 andthe shaft 28' has also been slightly modified. Thesegearscarry a ringhaving an internal ratchet 52, and on the shaft QSismade fasta support53 carrying pivotedpa'wls 54.

The operation of the starting mechanism; lastdescribed isthe same as theoneL-shown in Figs. 1 -to-4, and while the mechanism is especiallyapplicable to F 0rd cars, it? is not limited thereto, but may,witlrequal facility, be appliedto other types and makes of'motorvehicles. 1

I claim 1. The combination with the-shaftof an internal-combustionengine and a longitudidriving nally slidable starting shaft having meansfor obtaining a driving connection with the engine shaft when slid inone direction and uncoupled from said shaft when slid in the oppositedirection; of a driving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing betweenthe driving shaft and the starting shaft, said gearing ineluding arotatable member loose on the starting shaft and provided with obliqueslots, and a member fixed on the starting shaft and having radiallyextending pins seating in said slots, and actuating means for thedriving shaft.

2. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, anda longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining adriving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction anduncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction, of adriving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the shaft andthe starting shaft, said including a rotatable member loose on thestarting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and a member fixed onthe starting shaft and having radially extending pins seating in saidslots, actuating means for the driving shaft, and means for sliding thestarting shaft to uncouple from the engine shaft when the latter turnsbackward.

3. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, anda longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining adriving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction anduncoupled from said shaft when slid 1n the opposite direction; of adriving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the drivingshaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable memberloose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and amember fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pinsseating in said slots, actuatin means for the driving shaft, and meansfor sliding the starting shaft to uncouple from the engine shaft whenthe latter turns backward, said means comprising a pivoted dog and afixed support carrying the dog, said dog extending obliquely between thesupport and the aforesaid member which is fixed on the starting shaft.

l. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, anda longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining adriving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction andiuicoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of adriving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the drivingshaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable memberloose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and amember fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pinsgearing seating in said slots, actuating means for the driving shaft,and means for sliding the starting shaft to uncouplc from the engineshaft when the latter turns backward, said means comprising a pivoteddog and a fixed support carrying the dog, said dog extending obliquelybetween the support and the aforesaid member which is fixed on thestarting shaft, said member being a crown-gear, and the dog having teethwhich are in mesh with the teeth of said gear.

5. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, anda longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining adriving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction anduncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of adriving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the drivingshaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable memberloose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots, and amember fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pinseating in said slots, actuating means for the driving shaft, and meansfor sliding the starting shaft to uncouple from the engine shaft whenthe latter turns backward, said means comprising a pivoted dog and afixed support carrying the dog, said dog extending obliquely between thesupport and the aforesaid member which is fixed on the starting shaft,and a spring holding the dog in engagement with said member.

6. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, anda longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining adriving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction anduncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of adriving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the drivingshaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable memberloose on the starting shaft and provided with oblique slots. and amember fixed on the starting shaft and having radially extending pinsseating in said slots, bevel gears loose on the driving shaft, apawl-andratchet driving connection between the bevel gears and thedriving shaft, a bevel gear in mesh with the aforesaid bevel gears, andan oscillatory shaft operatively connected to the second-mentioned bevelgear.

7. The combination with the shaft of an internal-combustion engine, anda longitudinally slidable starting shaft having means for obtaining adriving connection with the engine shaft when slid in one direction anduncoupled from said shaft when slid in the opposite direction; of adriving shaft for the starting shaft, a gearing between the drivingshaft and the starting shaft, said gearing including a rotatable memberloose memes-1 0n the starting shaft and provided with in inesh with theaforesaid bevei gears and oblique slots, and a member fixed on the anoscillatory shaft operativeiy connected starting shaft and havingradially eXtendto the second-mentioned bevel gear, saidingpinsseatinginsaid slots, bevel gears oscillatory shaft being inpivotallyconloose on the driving shaft, a pawl-andnected sections.

ratchetdriving connection between the bevel In testimony whereof I:aifix iny-signature. gears and the driving shaft a bevel gear JOHNS.CLARKE.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five" cents each, by'addressingthe Commissioner of liitents, Washington, D; C.

